Vincent stood at the threshold of Catherine's chamber, and found her lying on her bed face down...and he could hear her softly crying.
Dauntingly, he gazed at her, before he walked inside, and sat down on the bed, beside her. He gently rolled her over into his arms, and asked, "Why are you crying Catherine, tell me."
She hugged him tightly, and said, "I did something stupid...again!"
Vincent smoothed her hair, and then apathetically sighed, "How can that be Catherine."
After a short silence, Catherine then revealed her inadequate feelings she owned, and cried, "I don't know if I am ever going to fit in here Vincent."
Softly Vincent whispered, "Of course you will, you already do."
He then lovingly asked, "What happened?"
Catherine snuffled as the tears kept coming and said, "Remember the last time I tried to send a message on the pipes, and I so horribly scrambled the message?"
Nodding he recalled, "I remember..."
Tragically, Catherine confessed, "Well...I did it again!"
Vincent smiled, and tenderly asked, "What do you mean?"
Catherine explained, during her class, everything was going along beautifully, until the youngest child needed help going to the laboratory chamber.
Catherine then said, "And...I wasn't sure if I should just let her go alone, or go with her! But then I knew if I went with her, then I would be leaving the other children alone, unattended, so I sent you a message, saying I needed your help..."
With awe, Vincent apologetically said, "I am sorry Catherine, I never heard your message, in fact, the only message I heard sent on the master pipe recently, was the luncheon announcement."
Catherine nodded, and lamented, "That was it! That was me who accidentally sent that message! And now I think William may be mad at me, because everyone started to arrive at the Dining Hall wanting to eat! So Father has asked me to refrain from using the pipe system, until I have a little more training, and Pascal, whole-heartedly agreed, and then offered to instruct me!"
Vincent then asked, "How did Father discover it was you who sent the message?"
Catherine tearfully explained, "I kept looking out into the tunnel for you to come, and noticed everyone heading to the Dining Hall. Finally I stopped Rebecca, and asked her if she could take Natalie to the bathroom chamber for me. And then I asked her where everyone was going! She told me lunch, for some reason William seems to be serving lunch early today, and informed me the message on the pipes was the lunch announcement. And then I told her. I was the one who just sent the message, thinking I was asking for help! So just then Father, came walking by, and Rebecca explained to him, the luncheon announcement was an error, and it wasn't time for lunch after all! By then William came running up to Father, wondering who the "Buffoon" was that had sent the message! He then anxiously told Father, that these pranks must cease, and it makes him very nervous to have people hovering about waiting to eat! And all the while, the children kept laughing, thinking it was all so funny!"
Vincent soothed Catherine by saying, "Children find levity in such matters Catherine, you know that."
Then with concern, he added, "However, I do know Father can be a bit gruff at times, and William as well. I will talk to them."
Catherine pleadingly said, "No don't Vincent. Father was very nice when he asked me to stop sending messages, and he calmed William down, by saying we mustn't make such a big thing out of it. He told William mistakes happen, and he would take care of the problem."
Catherine tried to explain it wasn't that anyone said anything cross to her, it is just she felt so bad about disrupting everyone's routine!
She then looked up at Vincent, and implored, "How can I face them in a little while, when we really do have to go to the Dining Hall?"
As she looked down searchingly, she said, "Vincent I don't think I can!"
Vincent commiserated with his Catherine, and softly said, "Then I will not go either, we will stay here within your chamber, and starve together."
Catherine started to softly chuckle, and wiped her eyes as she began to see her mistake, wasn't all that earth shattering, and said, "Oh Vincent, I don't want you to miss your meal."
He tipped his head, and assured her saying, "Well, I am not going without you."
Catherine gathered her emotions, and then agreeably said, "Just let me get my self together."
Just then the REAL luncheon code did chime through the tunnel pipeline, and Catherine buried her face into her hands, and said, "Oh no Vincent, my moment of reckoning!"
Vincent took her hand, and said, "Catherine I should tell you, we have all made errors sending messages. You are not alone. Now come along, everything is all right."
They were the last to arrive for the mid-day meal, and when they walked in, Catherine tried to slink in unnoticed, behind Vincent.
William then came walking out of the kitchen toward them, carrying a lovely decorated cake he had baked.
He smiled at them, and then proudly announced, "In honor of Catherine and Vincent's engagement, I would like to present them with this cake of celebration."
Catherine looked up in disbelief at Vincent, she could not believe William had did this for them.
William then said, "After I heard the news of your engagement this morning, I warmed the oven, so I could bake something special for the both of you."
Vincent took the cake from William's hands, sincerely thanking him, and as he looked down at the cake, he then said, "William your efforts to honor Catherine and I, in this regard, means so much to us, to both of us."
Catherine wiped the tears away, and shook her head, not able to convey what she was feeling. Finally she said, "William thank you."
She then humbly added, "After the disruption I caused this morning, I don't deserve to be treated so nicely."
William softened his voice, as he explained, "I had no idea it was you who mistakenly sent that message Catherine. I wouldn't have gotten so riled about it, if I had."
As he put a hand on Vincent's shoulder, he continued, "You both are very special to all of us, and we are so pleased Catherine, will be truly one of us."
Teasingly he then asked, "Can you forgive a grumpy old cook like myself?"
Sheepishly Catherine stepped forward, and then asked, "It's me who needs forgiveness William..."
Catherine then looked up and around to the community, adding, "...and I hope everyone else can forgive me too. I realize I interrupted everyone's morning needlessly."
Nothing was really audible as everyone all at once, voiced their assurances to Catherine, they were not angry at her.
Vincent standing a step behind her, nodded a private thank you to William, and to the others in the Dining Hall, for attempting to put Catherine at ease this day.
He then leaned forward, toward Catherine to intimately say, "You see Catherine, no one is angry at you."
Catherine happily smiled at Vincent, and then turning back to everyone, she jokingly announced, "I just want everyone to know, until I receive some extensive training, with the pipe codes from Pascal...I will not be sending anymore messages!"
Everyone good naturally clapped, and teasingly cheered, helping Catherine to pass through this humiliating experience a little more easily, and put the incident behind her.
They then had a seat at their usual table and enjoyed the lunch William had prepared, of Fish Chowder along with some warm Braided egg bread, topped off with a slice of the delicious Carrot Cake William had baked for Vincent and Catherine.
As they enjoyed their cake, Jamie, asked Catherine if she would be attending Sewing Circle in the afternoon, and in reply, Catherine said she would be, but first she needed to go above on an errand to visit Jennifer.
Catherine then smiled, as she asked, "Do you suppose Father will be joining us again?"
To which Laura signed, "Yes, I think he will be. Father was talking to Mary at Breakfast, asking what the next project was going to be for Sewing Circle."
Rebecca smiled, as she then in addition, relayed, "Mary told Father since they sewed Aprons for the kitchen help last time, today, they would be making Tool belts for the work crews."
Pascal looked over at Mouse, and said, "Hey, it looks like your men could be wearing "Floral Tool Belts!"
Ronald raised his hand, and said, "Let it be known right now, I will not wear a tool belt with any Daisies, or Roses on it!"
Vincent tipped his head, and quipped, "You are partial to Petunias then?"
Everyone started to laugh, and all agreed they could not wait to see what Mary had planned.
Catherine then stood, and said, "I hate to run off, but if I am going to catch Jenny on her lunch, I better go now. Then I should be back in time to meet everyone in the sewing chamber."
Vincent stood too, and said, "Allow me to walk you to the threshold."
Catherine beamed, "Hmm, I would like that."
Before they left the chamber, Ronald softly asked, "Give Jenny my regards."
To which Catherine said she would be glad to.
As they walked, Vincent shared a little of Ronald's confusion as he dives back into trying to have a relationship without hurting anyone.
Catherine saying she understood, then added, "Ronald is such a nice man, he will figure out how to handle it delicately for all concerned."
Pleased Catherine had such faith in his friend, he then asked how did she know Jennifer would be at home on her lunch hour.
Catherine then explained one of the reasons Jennifer loved moving into her old apartment, was because it was so close to her office, and she would be able to walk home for lunch everyday. And when it was nice out, even walk to and from work and save on gas.
So as they stood at Catherine's old threshold, she reached up to hug Vincent and recollected, "I can remember saying goodbye to you here so many times, wondering when I would be seeing you again. Sometimes it would be days."
Vincent held Catherine protectively, and said, "I recall those days as well. It was very hard for me to stay away, and not come to you nightly as the evening shadows fell."
Catherine, sadly smiled, as she asked, "Then why did you stay away? I would have loved, if you would have came to see me every night."
Vincent searchingly said, "I...didn't want to overwhelm you with my presence Catherine."
Looking up at him, she softly said, "That was not a possibility."
She then sweetly looked downward as she reminisced, "That first time you brought me here, and told me this was where I could enter the basement of my apartment, I was so scared to leave you. Scared, because I had to return to my old life, and also because I had all these feelings for you I could not yet sort out. And I wondered, if I would ever see you again."
He softly confessed, "I too felt apprehensive Catherine."
Tenderly he told her, "The feelings I had for you, had so quickly grown to such access, that I dreaded the day you would have to leave the tunnels. Then...when you were strong enough to go back to your world, the pain of being separated from you, impacted me so, that it was then...I fully realized the power of our bond."
Catherine happily said, "And now...we are to be married, destined to live happily ever after."
Vincent repeated in a raspy whisper, "Happily ever after, if it is within my power...that is my wish for us...for you, Catherine."
Dreamily, Catherine replied, "It is within your power, and you have already made me so happy Vincent."
She then embraced him, and said, "Well, I better go, I will return as quickly as possible."
Lovingly Vincent told her, he would be waiting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Jennifer sat at her little patio table, munching on a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, thinking the last time she sat there, was with Ronny!
She was feeling a little melancholy, wondering where their relationship was going, when she heard a knock on the door.
As she looked out the peep hole, she excitedly exclaimed, "Cathy! Come in to your...err, I mean to MY humble abode!"
Catherine looked around, and impressively said, "Oh Jen, you have it just perfect! It is so you! I love it."
Jennifer grabbed her friends hand, and pulled her all around the place showing her this, and that, and then showed Catherine Gonzy's dwelling place, on his own little table within the living room.
Catherine teasingly reminded Jennifer, "Shouldn't you have the palm tree on the other side of the bowl for shade?"
Jennifer informatively said, "Thanks! You are right!"
She then smiled as she added, "I am so impressed you remembered Gonzy's routine."
Catherine widened her eyes and questioned, "How could I forget? You made such a point of it!"
Jennifer then looked at her watch and said, "Oh Poops, I only have 5 more minutes before I have to head back to work! I would take the afternoon off, but we have a gallery to set up."
Catherine took in a deep breath, and quickly said, "That's OK Jen, I better go too, but before I do, I wanted to ask, if Vincent and I can stop in tonight for a visit, maybe about 8:00?"
To which Jennifer replied, "Sure. It will be nice to see Vinny."
Hesitantly, she then asked, "How is Ronny?"
In reply, Catherine encouragingly said, "He is good. He asked me to send you his regards."
With a sad smile, Jennifer noted, "Well at least that is something..."
Sweetly, Catherine hugged her friend, and said, "Yes Jen, it is. Keep your chin up uh? And don't let your imagination get the best of you. I will see you tonight."
To be continued
Chapter Four
Dauntingly, he gazed at her, before he walked inside, and sat down on the bed, beside her. He gently rolled her over into his arms, and asked, "Why are you crying Catherine, tell me."
She hugged him tightly, and said, "I did something stupid...again!"
Vincent smoothed her hair, and then apathetically sighed, "How can that be Catherine."
After a short silence, Catherine then revealed her inadequate feelings she owned, and cried, "I don't know if I am ever going to fit in here Vincent."
Softly Vincent whispered, "Of course you will, you already do."
He then lovingly asked, "What happened?"
Catherine snuffled as the tears kept coming and said, "Remember the last time I tried to send a message on the pipes, and I so horribly scrambled the message?"
Nodding he recalled, "I remember..."
Tragically, Catherine confessed, "Well...I did it again!"
Vincent smiled, and tenderly asked, "What do you mean?"
Catherine explained, during her class, everything was going along beautifully, until the youngest child needed help going to the laboratory chamber.
Catherine then said, "And...I wasn't sure if I should just let her go alone, or go with her! But then I knew if I went with her, then I would be leaving the other children alone, unattended, so I sent you a message, saying I needed your help..."
With awe, Vincent apologetically said, "I am sorry Catherine, I never heard your message, in fact, the only message I heard sent on the master pipe recently, was the luncheon announcement."
Catherine nodded, and lamented, "That was it! That was me who accidentally sent that message! And now I think William may be mad at me, because everyone started to arrive at the Dining Hall wanting to eat! So Father has asked me to refrain from using the pipe system, until I have a little more training, and Pascal, whole-heartedly agreed, and then offered to instruct me!"
Vincent then asked, "How did Father discover it was you who sent the message?"
Catherine tearfully explained, "I kept looking out into the tunnel for you to come, and noticed everyone heading to the Dining Hall. Finally I stopped Rebecca, and asked her if she could take Natalie to the bathroom chamber for me. And then I asked her where everyone was going! She told me lunch, for some reason William seems to be serving lunch early today, and informed me the message on the pipes was the lunch announcement. And then I told her. I was the one who just sent the message, thinking I was asking for help! So just then Father, came walking by, and Rebecca explained to him, the luncheon announcement was an error, and it wasn't time for lunch after all! By then William came running up to Father, wondering who the "Buffoon" was that had sent the message! He then anxiously told Father, that these pranks must cease, and it makes him very nervous to have people hovering about waiting to eat! And all the while, the children kept laughing, thinking it was all so funny!"
Vincent soothed Catherine by saying, "Children find levity in such matters Catherine, you know that."
Then with concern, he added, "However, I do know Father can be a bit gruff at times, and William as well. I will talk to them."
Catherine pleadingly said, "No don't Vincent. Father was very nice when he asked me to stop sending messages, and he calmed William down, by saying we mustn't make such a big thing out of it. He told William mistakes happen, and he would take care of the problem."
Catherine tried to explain it wasn't that anyone said anything cross to her, it is just she felt so bad about disrupting everyone's routine!
She then looked up at Vincent, and implored, "How can I face them in a little while, when we really do have to go to the Dining Hall?"
As she looked down searchingly, she said, "Vincent I don't think I can!"
Vincent commiserated with his Catherine, and softly said, "Then I will not go either, we will stay here within your chamber, and starve together."
Catherine started to softly chuckle, and wiped her eyes as she began to see her mistake, wasn't all that earth shattering, and said, "Oh Vincent, I don't want you to miss your meal."
He tipped his head, and assured her saying, "Well, I am not going without you."
Catherine gathered her emotions, and then agreeably said, "Just let me get my self together."
Just then the REAL luncheon code did chime through the tunnel pipeline, and Catherine buried her face into her hands, and said, "Oh no Vincent, my moment of reckoning!"
Vincent took her hand, and said, "Catherine I should tell you, we have all made errors sending messages. You are not alone. Now come along, everything is all right."
They were the last to arrive for the mid-day meal, and when they walked in, Catherine tried to slink in unnoticed, behind Vincent.
William then came walking out of the kitchen toward them, carrying a lovely decorated cake he had baked.
He smiled at them, and then proudly announced, "In honor of Catherine and Vincent's engagement, I would like to present them with this cake of celebration."
Catherine looked up in disbelief at Vincent, she could not believe William had did this for them.
William then said, "After I heard the news of your engagement this morning, I warmed the oven, so I could bake something special for the both of you."
Vincent took the cake from William's hands, sincerely thanking him, and as he looked down at the cake, he then said, "William your efforts to honor Catherine and I, in this regard, means so much to us, to both of us."
Catherine wiped the tears away, and shook her head, not able to convey what she was feeling. Finally she said, "William thank you."
She then humbly added, "After the disruption I caused this morning, I don't deserve to be treated so nicely."
William softened his voice, as he explained, "I had no idea it was you who mistakenly sent that message Catherine. I wouldn't have gotten so riled about it, if I had."
As he put a hand on Vincent's shoulder, he continued, "You both are very special to all of us, and we are so pleased Catherine, will be truly one of us."
Teasingly he then asked, "Can you forgive a grumpy old cook like myself?"
Sheepishly Catherine stepped forward, and then asked, "It's me who needs forgiveness William..."
Catherine then looked up and around to the community, adding, "...and I hope everyone else can forgive me too. I realize I interrupted everyone's morning needlessly."
Nothing was really audible as everyone all at once, voiced their assurances to Catherine, they were not angry at her.
Vincent standing a step behind her, nodded a private thank you to William, and to the others in the Dining Hall, for attempting to put Catherine at ease this day.
He then leaned forward, toward Catherine to intimately say, "You see Catherine, no one is angry at you."
Catherine happily smiled at Vincent, and then turning back to everyone, she jokingly announced, "I just want everyone to know, until I receive some extensive training, with the pipe codes from Pascal...I will not be sending anymore messages!"
Everyone good naturally clapped, and teasingly cheered, helping Catherine to pass through this humiliating experience a little more easily, and put the incident behind her.
They then had a seat at their usual table and enjoyed the lunch William had prepared, of Fish Chowder along with some warm Braided egg bread, topped off with a slice of the delicious Carrot Cake William had baked for Vincent and Catherine.
As they enjoyed their cake, Jamie, asked Catherine if she would be attending Sewing Circle in the afternoon, and in reply, Catherine said she would be, but first she needed to go above on an errand to visit Jennifer.
Catherine then smiled, as she asked, "Do you suppose Father will be joining us again?"
To which Laura signed, "Yes, I think he will be. Father was talking to Mary at Breakfast, asking what the next project was going to be for Sewing Circle."
Rebecca smiled, as she then in addition, relayed, "Mary told Father since they sewed Aprons for the kitchen help last time, today, they would be making Tool belts for the work crews."
Pascal looked over at Mouse, and said, "Hey, it looks like your men could be wearing "Floral Tool Belts!"
Ronald raised his hand, and said, "Let it be known right now, I will not wear a tool belt with any Daisies, or Roses on it!"
Vincent tipped his head, and quipped, "You are partial to Petunias then?"
Everyone started to laugh, and all agreed they could not wait to see what Mary had planned.
Catherine then stood, and said, "I hate to run off, but if I am going to catch Jenny on her lunch, I better go now. Then I should be back in time to meet everyone in the sewing chamber."
Vincent stood too, and said, "Allow me to walk you to the threshold."
Catherine beamed, "Hmm, I would like that."
Before they left the chamber, Ronald softly asked, "Give Jenny my regards."
To which Catherine said she would be glad to.
As they walked, Vincent shared a little of Ronald's confusion as he dives back into trying to have a relationship without hurting anyone.
Catherine saying she understood, then added, "Ronald is such a nice man, he will figure out how to handle it delicately for all concerned."
Pleased Catherine had such faith in his friend, he then asked how did she know Jennifer would be at home on her lunch hour.
Catherine then explained one of the reasons Jennifer loved moving into her old apartment, was because it was so close to her office, and she would be able to walk home for lunch everyday. And when it was nice out, even walk to and from work and save on gas.
So as they stood at Catherine's old threshold, she reached up to hug Vincent and recollected, "I can remember saying goodbye to you here so many times, wondering when I would be seeing you again. Sometimes it would be days."
Vincent held Catherine protectively, and said, "I recall those days as well. It was very hard for me to stay away, and not come to you nightly as the evening shadows fell."
Catherine, sadly smiled, as she asked, "Then why did you stay away? I would have loved, if you would have came to see me every night."
Vincent searchingly said, "I...didn't want to overwhelm you with my presence Catherine."
Looking up at him, she softly said, "That was not a possibility."
She then sweetly looked downward as she reminisced, "That first time you brought me here, and told me this was where I could enter the basement of my apartment, I was so scared to leave you. Scared, because I had to return to my old life, and also because I had all these feelings for you I could not yet sort out. And I wondered, if I would ever see you again."
He softly confessed, "I too felt apprehensive Catherine."
Tenderly he told her, "The feelings I had for you, had so quickly grown to such access, that I dreaded the day you would have to leave the tunnels. Then...when you were strong enough to go back to your world, the pain of being separated from you, impacted me so, that it was then...I fully realized the power of our bond."
Catherine happily said, "And now...we are to be married, destined to live happily ever after."
Vincent repeated in a raspy whisper, "Happily ever after, if it is within my power...that is my wish for us...for you, Catherine."
Dreamily, Catherine replied, "It is within your power, and you have already made me so happy Vincent."
She then embraced him, and said, "Well, I better go, I will return as quickly as possible."
Lovingly Vincent told her, he would be waiting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Jennifer sat at her little patio table, munching on a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, thinking the last time she sat there, was with Ronny!
She was feeling a little melancholy, wondering where their relationship was going, when she heard a knock on the door.
As she looked out the peep hole, she excitedly exclaimed, "Cathy! Come in to your...err, I mean to MY humble abode!"
Catherine looked around, and impressively said, "Oh Jen, you have it just perfect! It is so you! I love it."
Jennifer grabbed her friends hand, and pulled her all around the place showing her this, and that, and then showed Catherine Gonzy's dwelling place, on his own little table within the living room.
Catherine teasingly reminded Jennifer, "Shouldn't you have the palm tree on the other side of the bowl for shade?"
Jennifer informatively said, "Thanks! You are right!"
She then smiled as she added, "I am so impressed you remembered Gonzy's routine."
Catherine widened her eyes and questioned, "How could I forget? You made such a point of it!"
Jennifer then looked at her watch and said, "Oh Poops, I only have 5 more minutes before I have to head back to work! I would take the afternoon off, but we have a gallery to set up."
Catherine took in a deep breath, and quickly said, "That's OK Jen, I better go too, but before I do, I wanted to ask, if Vincent and I can stop in tonight for a visit, maybe about 8:00?"
To which Jennifer replied, "Sure. It will be nice to see Vinny."
Hesitantly, she then asked, "How is Ronny?"
In reply, Catherine encouragingly said, "He is good. He asked me to send you his regards."
With a sad smile, Jennifer noted, "Well at least that is something..."
Sweetly, Catherine hugged her friend, and said, "Yes Jen, it is. Keep your chin up uh? And don't let your imagination get the best of you. I will see you tonight."
To be continued
Chapter Four
| Sweet Dreams! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Three |
